SPRINGFIELD – A 28-year-old Holyoke man, shot at twice during a fight outside the Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant at 1716 Boston Road Sunday night, has not been cooperative with police as they seek to find the shooter and other assailants.

“He refused to come to the station to look at photographs,” Sgt. John M. Delaney said.

It was a very close call, Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet said. The victim attempted to grab the gun, which was pointed at his chest as the shooter approached.

“It went off in his hands,” Delaney said. “It didn’t penetrate the skin but he got muzzle burns on his hands.”

The incident at the popular children’s eatery happened about 7 p.m. when a 19-year-old woman accused the victim of stealing her cell phone. At the time, some 100 adults and children had been inside.

Delaney said the woman had apparently left her cell phone near an electronic game, saw the victim playing the game and accused him of stealing it.

The victim, who was at the restaurant with his family to celebrate his young son’s birthday, denied the theft, Delaney said. He left the eatery to smoke a cigarette and was jumped by four suspects, described by police as black and Hispanic males, right outside the front door.

During the fight, the shooter, a black male, got out of a gray Mitsubishi Lancer that had just pulled up in the fire lane of the restaurant and approached the victim with the gun in his hands, Delaney said.

At some point during the scuffle a cell phone dropped from the victim’s pocket, Delaney said, adding that police believe the cell phone may have then been picked up by a bystander.

The 19-year woman with the missing cell phone told police she did not know the assailants, Delaney said.

Delaney said the restaurant has not been considered a trouble spot for Springfield police.

Wilbraham resident Marissa Faneuff, shopping with her young children in Haymarket Square late Monday morning, said she was shocked to hear of the shooting which occurred just yards away from where she had parked her mini-van.

“I think it’s pretty sad and disgusting,” Faneuff said, adding that has always considered the area to be safe. “I guess you never know anymore.”

Michael F. Ferzoco, also from Wilbraham, said he was surprised to here that a shooting had occurred just outside the family restaurant. “You wouldn’t think it would happen in this city, but not anymore.”